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Format: 6-round Swiss rapid tournament in one section followed by an 8-round double Swiss blitz tournament in one section. The highest of a player’s most current (“live”) US Chess regular, quick, or blitz rating is usually used for pairings and prize eligibility. To see how players who have no US Chess rating but have a rating in another system are handled at these tournaments, click here.

Time Control: G/15;inc5 for the rapid and G/3;inc2 for the blitz. Clocks without increment capability but with delay capability use the same base time and substitute delay for increment. Clocks without increment or delay capability are set for the same base time. Click here to see the other clock rules for these tournaments and how to set the popular digital clocks for these time controls (including some important notes on some of the clocks).
BRING A DIGITAL CLOCK. A few digital clocks are provided at these tournaments but please do not always rely on the club to provide a digital clock (boards, pieces, notation sheets, and pens/pencils are provided).

Schedule: On-site registration for the rapid runs from 9-9:45am. The rounds are scheduled for 10am, 10:50am, 11:40am, 12:30pm, 1:20pm, and 2:10pm. Players who have a game go long can request extra time off before the next round. On-site registration for the blitz runs from 3-3:15pm. Players may also register for the blitz during the rapid. Play starts at 3:30pm and will likely last until around 6:30pm.

Rules: These tournaments use the rules from the 7th edition of the US Chess rulebook. Rule variation 10I2, which allows a player who is intending to castle and touches the rook first to still castle, will be in effect. US Chess rules for rapid are the same as regular chess except notating is not required. A variation will be used that allows players with five or more minutes on their clock to claim a draw by “triple occurrence of position” or “the 50-move rule” in the same manner as in sudden death time pressure in regular chess. Some of the important blitz rules are: 1) touch move, 2) one hand for each move, 3) a completed illegal move loses, 4) no insufficient losing chances. See the clarifications and variations to the blitz rules used at this tournament here.

Entry Fee: $15 for each tournament, $25 total for PCC members who play in both tournaments. Pay during registration with cash or check payable to Portland Chess Club.

Prizes: Both tournaments prize fund is $220 based on 20 entries and is adjusted proportionally if there are a different number of players. Rapid: 1st-$65, 2nd-$45, 1st U2000-$35, 1st U1800-$30, 1st U1600-$25, 1st U1400-$20; blitz: 1st-$65, 2nd-$45, 1st U2100-$35, 1st U1900-$30, 1st U1700-$25, 1st U1500-$20. Unrated players are eligible for all of the prizes. Prizes are combined and split if there is a tie.

Location: Portland Chess Club, 8205 SW 24th Ave, Portland, OR 97219

Notes: 1) While these tournaments are open to scholastic players, they’re only recommended for mature scholastic players who are capable of playing in a serious tournament and against adults. 2) These tournaments are not rated. 3) US Chess and OCF/WCF/ICA state memberships are not required. 4) These tournaments are not Northwest Chess Grand Prix events or OSCF state qualifiers.